Machinery for winding alpha strand such as the thread of elastic indiarubber used in the manufacture of the core of alpha golf ball



MACHINERY FOR WINDING A STRAND SUCH AS THE THREAD OF ELASTIC INDIA RUBBER USED IN THE MANUFACTURE .OF THE CORE OF A GOLF BALL Filed April 13. 1927 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 23, 1932. C" MACBETH 1,846,342

HGE

Feb. 23, 1932. c, M E 1,846,342

MACHINERY FOR WINDING A STRAND SUCH AS THE THREAD OF ELASTIC INDIA RUBBER USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE CORE OF A GOLF BALL Filed April 13. 1927 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 23, 1932. c. MACBETH 1,846,342

MACHINERY FOR WINDING A STRAND SUCH AS THE THREAD OF ELASTIC INDIA RUBBER USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE "CORE OF A GOLF BALL Filed April 15, 1927 7 Sheets-Sheet a FIG 5 j Feb. 23, 1932. c. MACBETH 1,846,342

MACHINERY FOR WINDING A STRAND SUCH AS THE THREAD OF ELASTIC INDIA RUBBER USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE CORE OF A GOLF BALL Filed April 13. 1927 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Feb. 23, 1932. MACBETH 1,846,342

MACHINERY FOR WINDING A STRAND SUCH As THE THREAD 0F ELASTIC INDIA RUBBER USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE CORE OF A GOLF BALL Filed April 15. 1927 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Feb, 23, 1932. c. MACBETH 1,346,342

MACHINERY FOR WINDING A STRAND SUCH AS THE THREAD OF ELASTIC INDIA RUBBER USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE CORE OF A GULF BALL Filed April 13, 1927 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Feb. 23, 1932. c. MACBETH 1,846,342

MACHINERY FOR WINDING A STRAND SUCH AS THE THREAD OF ELASTIC INDIA RUBBER USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE CORE OF A GOLF BALL Filed April 1a. 1927 7 Sheets5heet 7 Patented Feb. 23, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COLIN MACBETH, OF FOUR OAKS, BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO DUNLO]? RUBBER COMPANY LIMITED, BRITAIN MACHINERY FOR WINDING A STRAND SUCH RUBBER USED IN THE MANUFACT- Applieation filed April 13, 1927, Serial No. 183,561, and in Great Britain June 3,

' upon the work to permit free movement of the work such as is required from time to time during the operation of the machine to enable the work to attain and retain true spherical form; to appropriately tension the thread during the winding process; to stop the operation of the machine when the work attains the desired predetermined diameter and to also automatically stop the operation of the machine in the event that the thread should break.

lVith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of devices hereinafter described and claimed.

In order that this invention may clearly be understood and readily carried into practice, reference may be had to the appended explanatory drawings on which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrat- 2 ing a part of the mechanism from an aspect located axially of the supporting rollers in relation to which the sphere is manipulated.

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of a drive mechanism for one of the supporting rollers for the sphere.

Figure 3 is a detail view partly in end elevation of the arm 9 and partly in section and illustrating the rollers on the cantilever end of said arm which bear on the work sphere.

Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating Figure 3, the aspect of elevation being at right-angles to that obtaining in the case of the figure last mentioned. 7

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view,

partly diagrammatically, of the mechanism shown or LONDON, ENGLAND, A COMPANY or GREAT AS THE :rrrnnnn or ELASTIC INDIA- URE OF THE CORE 0]? A GOLF B in Figure l, buton a different vertical section plane. 1 t

Figure 6 is a sectional View approximating the mechanism shown in Figures land 5, a detail of which is shown in axial elevation at Figure 7. t

Figure 8 is an elevation of a modified form of the invention.

Figure 9 is a plan and Figure 10 is an elevation partly in section of controlling mech anism.

Figure 11 is a view corresponding approximately with Figure 1 and illustrating one suitable form of mechanism which may function in the event of breakage of the strand.

Figure 12 illustrates in elevation one construction of tensioning mechanism for the machine. Figure 13 is a similar view of the same at right angles thereto. 2

O F igure 14 is an elevation of a modified tensioning mechanism according to the invention, Figure 15 being an elevation of part of the-mechanism shown in Figure 14, the aspect of elevation being at right-angles to that in the case of the figure last mentioned.

In a convenient embodiment of the present invention as illustrated in the drawings, I provide a roller 2 adapted positively to be rotated, but which in the embodiment shown has so no axial movement. This roller 2 co-operates with another roller 3 which is arranged in a somewhat higher plane than that of the roller 2. This roller 3 is adapted not only to be positively driven but also to be reciprocated axially. A suitable mechanism for this purpose is shown in Figure 2 wherein a driving shaft t is provided with a spur wheel 4 which meshes with a spur wheel 4 having a skew cam l and being on a shaft 3 carrying the roller 3. This skew spur wheel 4* is furnished with a flange formation 4 which cooperates with an annular groove 4 appertaining to the spur wheel 4?, so that the drive from the primary shaft 4 imparts to the roller 3 not only a rotary motion but also a reciprocating axial motion.

My numeral 1 designates the sphere constituting the work and this sphere is pressed downwardy in the construction shown by an arm 9 which carries at its cantilever extremity two rollers 9 9 particularly shown in Figure 3, said rollers being simply installed as for instance by spindle screws 8. These rollers 9 9 are located with their main planes approximately radii of the work. The axis of the cantilever arm 9 is also so located that the, rollers 9 9 are applied to the upper part of the sphere approximately on the side of the latter diagrammatically remote from the point of contact of the sphere with the nonoscillating roller 2, the arrangement being such that these conditions approximately obtain throughout progress of increase in the diameter of the work. This is illustrated diagrammatically in Figure 1 in which figure it will be seen in the two dimensions which the work may assume the point of contact of the upper rollers occurs at or approximately at a point occurring in a line or plane between theaxes of the upper pressure rollers and the xes of the supporting roller 2. The line between the axis of oscillation of the cantilever arm 9 and the centre of the pressure rollers 7 may be adapted approximately tomaintain a. constant angle with the line between the said centre of the pressure rollers and the centre of the non-oscillating supporting roller 2 as indicated in Figure 1.

As shown in Figure 2 an axially oscillating roller such as 3 in the arrangement indicated in Figure 1 or in the arrangement indicated in Figure 4 may be of hollow formation having a skirt which embraces the projecting bearing for its spindle 3"" and conduc'es to compactness in construction as shown in Figure 2.

It will be noted from Figure 3 that the peripheries of the rollers 9 9 are tangential to the surface of the work and this tangential location continues during all periods of the diametrical expansion of the work.

In the foregoing description I have referred to. Figure 3 as indicating the rollers 9 and 9 which may be utilized at the extremity of the cantilever arm 9. shown in Figure 1, but the scheme illustrated in Figures and 4 differs from that illustrated in Figure 1 in that the two lower rollers 2 8 are both.

, adapted to be positively driven and also to. 50.

be axially reciprocated. This arrangement lends itself to conditions in which I may apply an automatic pressure mechanism to. existing machines.

Provision for intermittently relieving the work from the pressure exerted by the pressure rollers carried by the'cantilever arm 9 may vary considerably, but an improved mechanism is illustrated in Figures 1, 5 and 6, wherein the spindle of the shaft 16 of the non-oscillating supporting roller 2 carries a spur wheel 15 which meshes with a spur wheel 18 on a shaft 17 carrying a cam 19 co-operating with a slide20 in manner such that by rotation of the shaft 17 the slide 20 gradually is raised and subsequently allowed to descend upon the passage of a shoulder 19 upon the cam 19, beyond a shoulder 20 provided in an opening 20 in the slide 20 inside which opening said cam 19 operates. The slide 20 is incorporated within a housing 20 and is retained by a bush 21. This bush is adjustable axially of the stem 20 to limit the movement of the latter and below the bush-21 the stem 2O has at 2-3 a pivotal cooperation with a lateral'ar'm or lever 24 and 25 which latter carries a weight 26 adjustable by a set screw 27 longitudinally of the lever. 22 isv a set screw for locking'the' bush 21 in its adjusted position. The arm 24of the lever 24-25 is adapted to co-operate with the underside of a plunger which at 31 is pivotally coupled to upward-1y extending link 12 which at 82 is pivoted to the arm 9 carrying the pressurefrollers. 'The plunger 30 may be provided with a weight 18 and the operation .of the apparatus, is thus as follows :In the construction shown the member 20 is elevated until the shoulder upon the cam 19 escapes that with which 2-0 is provided with a resultthat the-member 20 is enabled suddenly to. descend under the influence of the weight 26. Upon impact of the enlarged portion of the member 20 with the upper face of the bush 21, the inertia attending the load 26 has the effect of momentarily counteracting the downward pressure. on theplunger 30 so that the pressure on rollers 7 is relieved .from the work sufliciently'to allow the latter to assume a new position.

I may employ a pawl and ratchet drive 35, 35 between the driving wheel 18 in the shaft 17 so that in the occasional event of reverse motion of the mechanism there is no possibility of jamming as a result of theundue engagement of the. shoulder on the cam 19 with that on the'member 20 with which it co-operates.

In the foregoing the mechanism for fulfilling the, nodding function already described is characterized by an arrangement wherein therelease of the pressure rollers is attended with a percussive action, but in lieu of such percussive action other expedients may be employed to provide for relaxation of the pressure upon the work. One such arrangement is illustrated in Figure 8 wherein the cantilever arm 9 carrying the pressure rollers is coupled pivotally at 32 by a link 96 by an articulate connection at 97 to a floating: link 98 which in turn is coupled by an articulating connection at 1:10 with another link at 109 to a pivoted member 99 which co-operates with a cam 100 mounted upon a shaft 112. Between the shaft 112 1 and the source of power constituting the shaft of the non-oscillating supporting roller 2, a reduction gear is provided. The cam 100 is thus enabled to rotate in a counterclockwisedirection with .the result that when quires the desired diameter. 9 this part of my invention resides in my utilithe shoulder of the cam allows the arm 99 to drop suddenly, the weight 13 is free to fall a pre-determined distance so that there is a momentary reduction of the pressure on the work until the action of gravity again enables the load 13 to apply the necessary pressure to the work. The core is thus enabled to assume its new axis in the desired manner. 103 is a set screw for adjustably limiting the descent of the lever 99. The load 13 is coupled to the floating lever 98 through the intermediary of suspender 107 which is adjustably and pivotally connected to the floating lever 98 by a pin and slot pivotal connection 105 in manner such as to permit of an adjustment of the point of articulation of the suspended load With the floating lever longitudinally of the latter. By vary ing the location of the articulation at 105 in l the length of the floating lever 98 a further convenient adjustment of the pressure is permitted. After the lever 99 has descended upon the screw 103 the cam is enabled gradually to raise the said lever 99 without appreciably affecting the normal load on the work.

The weight 13 Figure 6 or 13 Figure 8 may be varied as required to suit different types of work, particularly having in view the hardness of the centres on which the cores are built in cases in which the machine is utilized in the manufacture of golf balls and in the embodiment shown in Figure 6 the strength of the hammer blow may readily be varied by adjusting the position of the weight 26 as by virtue of the set screw 27.

li hen in the arrangement shown in Figure 6 the load 13 is altered it is desirable to make a corresponding adjustment at 27 to regulate the hammer blow.

In order accurately to control and determine the ultimate diameter of the wound core, I employ improved means for stopping the machine automatically when the ball ac- A feature of zation of a relay mechanism primarily having for its purpose to conduce to delicacy of operation, but with the additional advantage of durability in the mechanism fulfilling the function. I obtain this desideratum by utilizing a lever which is actuated by or in accordance with the expansion of the sphere under production, such lever being incorporated in manner such that its arm thus primarily actuated is relatively of considerable length, so that a substantial degree of mechanical advantage in actuation of the automatlc stopping function is thereby attanied. The

pressure on the work is thus not appreciably impaired by the function which this means has directly or indirectly to fulfil in bringing about a stoppage of the machine upon arriving at the desired diameter. In the means for carrying out this part of my invention which is shown in Figures 9 and 10 of the drawings, the leverin question-isactuatedt from the cantilever arm 9 through the intermediary of an extension of the member12 which is formed at its head with an enlargement 65. This enlargement is adapted to cooperate with a lever arm 69 through the intermediary of an engaging screw 71 adapted to be fixed by a lock nut 7 0 and the arm 69 which is pivoted at 68 upon any suitablebracket such as 66 on the frame 11 of the machine also carries a toothed arm 73 adapted to-co-operate with the tooth of a detent 74 which latter is mounted to oscillate about the axis 7 6. When the arm 69 is raised the arm 73 slips out of engagement with the end of the detent 74 with the result that the face of the latter assumes the position indicated at 84 under the influence of a spring 75 and another tooth 76 which is rigid with the detent 74 is by virtue of the displacement of the latter disengaged from a tooth 87 on a lever 7 2 pivoted at 79 to oscillate about a fixed axis, which. lever 72 has an extension 72 which co-operates with any suitable clutch 72 adapted automatically to disengage the machine from its source of driving power. 77 is a spring which controls the lever 7 2' which is connected suitably to any appropriate anchorage such as 78 mounted in the main frame of the machine. After being tripped the detent 74 may come to rest by engagement with the arm 72 as shown by dotted line 84*. Upon disengagement of the clutch the detent assumes the position shown in dotted lines 81, while the clutch assumes the position indicated by dottedlines 80.

For convenience in re-engaging theclutch it is necessary for the tooth 76 to be displaced out of the path of the tooth 87 and for this purpose I arrange the axis of the tooth 76 as a floating one. For this purpose the said axis is mounted upon an arm 85 of a lever, the other arm 91 of which is adapted to en circle a stem 89 carrying stop elements 90 which are adjustable and which rod 89 is also encircled by a coiled spring 88 which operates between the arm 91 and a suitable abutment. The spring 75 controlling the movement of the detent 74 may for convenience be coupled to an arm 91 appertaining to the lever 8591.

Still another feature of my present invention attends the fact that it incorporates an automatic stopping mechanism for the machine in the event of the strand breaking and in connection with the function of this part of the mechanism I am able to make use of the same with the relay mechanism for automatically stopping the machine upon obtainment of the desired diameter. Thus my present invention embraces the utilization of a relay mechanism for use in automatically stopping the machine in the event of breakage of the strand. One embodiment is shown in Figure 11 wherein I arrange a roller 92 adaptedto rest upon the strand in the, part.

thereof between the; work 1 and the delivery pulley l which roller 92 is carried by an arm 93. of a lever pivoted at 94 and having another arm- 95 which co-operates with the arm. 69 as shown in Figures9 and 10.

The load at 92 can thus be of a relatively lightcharacter so that it cannot interfere appreciably with the guidance of the tensioned' strand, while since the-arm 93 co-operates with the .relay clutch release mechanism, one can be assured of a certain release of the clutch in the event. of a breakage of the strand.

In construing the foregoing description it 1 will be appreciated that the winding of the strand in. the production of the work, occurs primarily by the effort exerted by the drumlike members or equivalent rotary members in conjunction with the pressure provision and that it is necessary to offer. a suitable resistance to the strand as it is supplied so that it shall be subjected to a proper tension.

As illustrated in Figures 12 and 13, 36 represents a supply bobbin from which the strand of elastic rubber is adapted to extend and pass one or more times around a pulley 37. from which pulley 37' the strand extends downwardly to a pulley 59 from which it extends upwardly to a pulley 41, from which latter it extends to the work 1. The pulley 37 is rigidly mounted in conjunction with a disc 38 which as shown in Figure 2 has a conical surface adapted to co-operate with a cone 42 shown in 12, said cone being rigid with the pulley 41, so that normally the lattor is driven frictionally through the cone drive 384-42. The pulley 59 is mounted upon a weighted cantilever arm 40 loaded at 49, so that said lever 40 fulfils the primary function of tensioning the strand. The lever 40 is in turn connected by a spring 43 to an arm 44, which latter has a second forked arm 46 adapted to co-operate with a collar 47 on the shaft 48 carrying the coned. disc 38, so

that by Virtue of the load 49, the said disc is v maintained in frictional Contact with the conical friction member 42 for the appropri ate driving of the pulley 41. If, however, the strand is. subjected toundue tension the arm 40 is automatically lifted, with the result that by reason of the relaxation of the spring 43, the lever 44 is enabled to rise, thus relaxing its pressure upon the collar 47 of the spindle 48 appertaining to the coned disc 38 and a slipping of the friction clutch 38-42 thus ensues with the result and advantage that breakage of the strand by undue tension is avoided.

The load 49 is adjustably mounted upon the cantilever arm 40 in order to-permit a modification of leveragerand in order to avoid erratic actuation of the lever 40 the latter may co-operate with a dashpot system consisting of working in an oil' container.

d'ashpot piston 51 of any approved fornr In the embodiment shown in Figures 14 and 15, 36 is the supply bobbin from which the strand is adapted to pass successively around pulleys 53 and. 54 which are geared together in the manner indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3 after which it passes around a pulley 60 having a fixed axis and thence to the work 1. Between the pulley 55 and the pulley 60,.however, the strand is adapted to descend and pass around a pulley 59 which fulfils several functions already described in connection with the modification illustrated in Figures 12 and 13. i V Y Geared with the pulley 54 is a friction disc 56 which is adapted to engage with a friction disc 61 mounted rigidly with the pulley 60. The three pulleys 53, 54 and 55 are all mounted on a swinging arm 57 pivoted on pivot pin 58 which arm 57 is coupled by a spring 63 to the arm 40 and the arrangement is such that in the eventofundue tension be ing imparted to the strand the frictional drive between the member 56 which rotates with the pulley 55 and the member 61 which rotates with the pulley is relaxed, thus avoiding the possibility of rupture of the strand.

The gearing may be such that before the strand arrives at the loaded pulley 59 or 5'9 it may be stretched in a degree approaching its elastic limit, while after it has passed be yond the pulley 59 or 59 itmay be tensioned in a much higherdegree while still within its breaking limit.

In addition to comprehending a complete machine incorporating a tensioning mechanism, havinggthe characteristics already defined, the, present invention comprehends a tensioning mechanism applicable to existing machines whereby the tensioning gear according to my present invention may be applied in order to convert the existing machine into a machine having the characteristics which attend my present invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1s 1. Ina machine for winding a thread or strand to produce a spherical body, means for supporting and rotating the work and comprising a positively rotated roller and a positively rotated and reciprocated roller; means for applying pressure to the work and comprising a weighted and pivoted lever bean ing' at its free end onv said work, and means ciprocated roller, the means for reciprocating the latter comprising a driving shaft, a spurwheel on said driving shaft, a skew spur Wheel on the roller spindle engaging with said spur wheel on said driving shaft, the latter having an annular groove adjacent said spur wheel, and said skew spur wheel having means engaging said annular groove.

3. In a machine for winding thread to produce a spherical body, means for pressing the work downwardly onto its supporting rollers, comprising a weighted arm, a pair of rollers located on the cantilever end of said arm and pressing on the upper part of the work, said rollers being located with their main planes approximating radii of the work.

In a machine for winding thread to produce a spherical body, means for pressing the work on its supporting rollers and means for periodically removing said pressure from the work, said means comprising a rotating cam, a slide cooperating with said cam, an arm pivoted to a stem on said slide, an adjustable weight 011 one end of the arm, a plunger raised and lowered by the other end of the arm, and a link pivotally connected at its lower end to the plunger and at its other end to the said pivoted arm whose cantilever end rests on the top of the work.

In a machine for winding thread to produce a spherical body, means for periodically and instantaneously removing the pressure from the work, said means comprising a rotating cam, a slide cooperating with said care, a bush surrounding the depending stem of the slide and means for locking said bush in any desired position within its housing, an arm pivoted to the lower end of the depending stem, an adjustable weight on one end thereof and a plunger adapted to be raised and lowered by the other end thereof, said plunger being directly connected to a pivoted lever whose cantilever end rests on the top of the work.

In witness whereof I aflix my signature.

COLIN MAOBETH. 

